DOT crews on standby to clear roads as drivers prepare for snow

Roads could be slippery Tuesday morning, with light snow falling as people hop in their cars and head to work or school.

Connecticut Department of Transportation crews are on standby to get the roads cleared for drivers all across the state.

When you add wintry weather to the morning commute, transportation officials have two main tips: slow down and let the plows do their work.

“The stores are empty, so I’m assuming everybody’s preparing,” Katherine Pyzik, of Plainville, said.

With snow coming in, some drivers in Connecticut will avoid going out.

“We just try to stay home,” Meagan Hanhold, of Farmington, said with her toddler son Teddy.

“Stay put and let the fellows clean the roads,” Pierce Kearney, of Sharon, said.

However, they recognize they may need to lean on their experience with snow-covered roads.

“Well, I have plenty, I’m a native New Englander,” Kearney said.

These drivers have some strategies behind the wheel.

“We go really slow, right. We go as slow as we need to,” Hanhold said.

“If I’m on the highway and I really feel uncomfortable, I’ll put my flashers on,” Pyzik said.

“I have a four-wheel drive pickup,” Kearney said. “I’ll be patient and careful.”

DOT crews used the Monday holiday to rest up as more than 900 plow drivers prepare for duty.

Although the department is currently short about 110 drivers, and has jobs posted for those positions, the drivers on standby will deploy the state’s 600 snow and ice removal trucks to plow and salt the roads overnight and through the day Tuesday.

“These are some of the smaller trucks for the state roads, and some of the really large, specialized equipment for clearing the major interstates and highways,” Josh Morgan, CTDOT spokesperson, said.

Morgan said drivers should give themselves extra time, drive slowly, avoid distractions and give plow drivers room to work.

“A football field length,” Morgan said. “300 feet, stay far back from the plows. That's the safest place for you to be.”

AAA also advises drivers to restock their winter emergency kit with abrasive material like sand or salt, a snow shovel, an ice scraper and brush, jumper cables, a first aid kit, a tool kit, warm winter apparel and a blanket.

Yet for those hunkering down, a toboggan just might be the preferred mode of transportation.

““Are we going to sled tomorrow?” Hanhold asked her young son Teddy.

“Yay!” Teddy responded. “Sled tomorrow!”

As for commuters planning to take a bus or train Tuesday, the CTDOT reminds them to sign up for alerts from their transit provider and check online for any schedule changes and delays.